Astronomy on Tap Köln

In the organizer's words:

Follow us on instagram @aotkoeln for the latest updates!

Program description below

[DE]

Admission is possible with or without a ticket, everyone is welcome! Participants who have checked in and enter before 7pm will be given priority seating.

Every month Astronomy on Tap Cologne offers entertaining and insightful talks in German and English for your inner astronomy nerd! Join us and learn what astrophysicists are doing to solve the mysteries of the cosmos.

Don't miss the exciting Pub Quiz and show your funny side by guessing quirky astronomical acronyms. The winners will receive astronomical goodies to take home!

[EN]

Free entry is possible with or without tickets, everyone is welcome! Preference to be seated will be given to attendees who have checked-in and who join by 19.00.

Every month, Astronomy on Tap Köln brings you fun and enlightening talks in German and English for your inner Astronomy nerd! Join us to find what Astrophysicists are up to in solving the puzzles of the cosmos.

Make sure not to miss out on the exciting Pub Quiz and show off your witty side in guessing funky astronomy acronyms. Winners get astronomy goodies to take home!

------------------------------------------------

Program April 29, 2026

"The sound of interstellar space" (in German) by Dr. Stephan Schlemmer

The spectra of molecules detected by telescopes are in (almost) perfect harmony with each other Each molecule has its own melody, just like the individual instruments of an orchestra
I will report on the pieces that reach us.

" Astrochemistry: Simple Molecules to the Building-Blocks of Life" (in English) by Morgan Owens

Space is not as empty as you might think... Once considered to be devoid of molecules, over 300 different molecules have since been observed in interstellar space over the last century. How do we observe molecules in space, and why do we go to great effort to do so? What can they tell us about the formation of stars, planetary systems, and even life on Earth?

------------------------------------------------

Program 25.March 2026

"Magnetic fields: Making the invisible visible" (in German) by Leonard Kaiser

How do we measure magnetic fields in space? And what do they tell us about our galaxy?

"Riding the Light: a journey across the spectrum" (in English) by Himadri Saha

Light comes in a huge spectrum of colors, far beyond what our eyes are capable of seeing. We only discovered there is light beyond the visible range as recent as the 19th century. Since then, we have developed fantastic technologies to explore the whole spectrum of light - spanning over 12 orders of magnitude. We take a journey across this multi-flavoured nature of light, how its duality and properties drive the technology and the information they reveal about the universe.

------------------------------------------------

Program 26.Feb 2026

"The end of the world" (in German) by Dr. Volker Ossenkopf-Okada

Astronomy can predict quite clearly what threatens the Earth from the outside. The lecture shows what is quite certain and what is rather unlikely.

" The unknown love life of stars." (in English) by Anais Paucket

Stars are actually not just solitary bright spots in the sky.

------------------------------------------------

Program Jan 29, 2026

"Space travel in the 21st century" (in German) by Alexander Wojtczak

Driven by new scientific, strategic and commercial interests, space travel has regained importance in recent years. Advances in areas such as launch vehicles, propulsion systems and satellite designs have led to new fields of application and the emergence of a private space sector, enabling a broader group of actors to access space. We take a look at the developments and challenges that are shaping this new space age.

" Rock around the clock: the epochs of the universe" (in English) by Jonathan Clarke

In this talk Jonathan will give an overview of how the cosmos has evolved with time, how observational astronomers find these periods of cosmic history, and how theorists bridge these gaps.

------------------------------------------------

Program 04.Dec 2025

"Diamond ring in space" (in German) by Simon Dannhauer

Rihanna has already summed up most of what you need to know on the subject in her song "Diamonds" with the line "Shine bright like a diamond ... a diamond in the sky". The only difference is that such a claim in science requires proposals, discussions, telescopes and much more. All these things, which are hidden behind the final publication, are the focus of this lecture.

" Telescopes: Their Origins and the Universe They Revealed " (in English) by Flavia Carolina Santos Do Amaral

A journey through the origins of telescopes: how simple lenses sparked a scientific revolution and opened humanity's first window to the universe.

------------------------------------------------